Shine Down on Me
by MadHattess
Summary: Companion/sequel to Rain Down on Me.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** Mai HiME belongs to some fellows at Sunrise. It will still belong to them when we get to part two.

**Notes:** I'm calling this a companion and sequel because part one is mostly concerned with prior events, getting Mikoto to where she was in Rain Down on Me. Part two (which I should post not too long from now) will be the sequel proper. As always much thanks and appreciation to Crossy for pulling beta reading duty. All remaining mistakes are naturally mine.

**Shine Down on Me**

Mikoto was happy with her life as it was- not perfectly happy, but enough that she looked forward to almost every day. It was odd to look back at her life before, seen with her new perspectives on what was right and what was happy. Sometimes she felt a little foolish, but mostly she was glad that she got the bad bits over before she really knew how good things could be.

She had been a bit lost after the carnival. It didn't sink in right away, but bit by bit things would occur to her and she wouldn't know what to do with the information. She wasn't a HiME anymore. What did that mean? She'd never relied that much on her CHILD, and she was still strong and fast. Now she knew where her brother was and she did not have to defeat her enemies in order to claim a place in his life. She didn't even want the place that she had once been willing to kill for. And it was a strange thing.

There was no point in throwing blame around, at least, Mikoto didn't think so. Most everyone had just done what they'd thought would be the best for the people they cared about. They'd been wrong, but no more than she had been. She had been trying to do what was best too, and she did not want to hang on to the guilt and bad feelings. She figured that meant the best thing to do was to forgive them all… except the bastard who'd been behind everything. He was dead, so it was all good.

Still, there was the question of 'what comes next?' Mikoto hadn't even been trying to answer it when Mai started trying for her. Mai was ecstatic to see the end of the carnival and everything that had come with it. There was a whole list of goals from before that Mai simply picked up again and tore into with relish. Mai had been going home. Mikoto had been entering Mai's world for the first time. So many little things mattered here, and the steps to finding your place were so much more obscure and… well, _silly_ than fighting your way there, literally. There would be fighting of another sort, she found. It started in earnest when Mai realized that beyond just a few symbols that Mikoto didn't truly know how to read. Mai got _serious_, which meant that she conscripted help.

It had seemed like the best possible plan would be to have each person teach the subject they were best at. You really have to know something to teach it, after all. This theory was abandoned after Mai failed to teach her any functional English and after Natsuki had come very close to committing violence while trying to get her up to speed in mathematics.

Mikoto hadn't wanted to cause anyone trouble, but she also hadn't really seen the point in this academic assault her friends had launched at her. She'd managed to get by as she was for years. When Mikoto asked 'why?' it had actually been Natsuki who'd answered, even though she'd been asking Mai.

"In this world we really want two things: a place for ourselves, and the tools we need to take care of the people important to us." When she'd added, "And good food," Mikoto had nodded seriously, in complete agreement. "So, without any real enemies left, killing people only leads to your place being in prison… which doesn't lead to being able to be there for your friends _or_ to good food." Mikoto's full attention _and_ horror had been won with that. "Getting a place in this world… well, you prove to them that you know things. More than that, you prove to them that you're willing to go where you're told, and learn what they tell you to. Some of it will be useful, some of it won't, but it's the willingness to work that people are looking for."

Mai had teased Natsuki that she was one to talk. They'd bantered for a while and Mikoto had thought. Willing to work? Mikoto had always been willing to work. She'd just needed to be taught a new way to work and then she'd fill out as many pointless pieces of paper as it took to be where she could protect her friends and family.

A new way to work…

Akira, back from America, had taught her writing. For the ninja, kanji was an art and any art could have a martial quality. There was an order, a kata for making the characters- a series of strikes.

Akane had tutored her in math. Akane struggled with the subject herself. In order to pass, she had to break the material into its simplest form, its smallest steps.

This was how Mikoto and her extended family tackled all of her subjects. They gave her a process and she learned how to work in the academic world. In time she got the hang of it. Even in her worst subjects, a year after the HiME carnival, she could get by on her own power.

With the tactic of asking for help from someone who had struggled, she did eventually go to Natsuki for advice. From time to time she went to the older girl with questions about social things. After the initial awkwardness had been conquered they had laughed a lot together.

Mai had also been concerned over the social aspect of Mikoto's life. That had to have been why Tate had approached her, shinai in hand. He had been remarkably patient too, in showing her the rules of kendo, explaining why most fatal moves were illegal. There had also been more than a few beatings taken 'round the head that he'd suffered more or less in stride. By the time she joined the kendo club she'd realized that she liked him well enough. Mikoto wasn't even really jealous of him, just a little sad. He was good for Mai she guessed, for now.

Two years had passed. She'd made and kept friends. She had a relationship with her brother they could both live with. She went to school and seemed to be on track to pass her junior year of high school. Still, some days she woke up feeling restless, as if her new life was alien. Once in a while she would stop hearing the words of her instructors as actual words and instead heard them as nothing more than random sounds. At times she would be in a situation and have no idea what people expected of her. She worked through these and more and more often she was better prepared next time.

Two years had passed, and she was starting to understand what Mai had tried to tell her back then. Love was good, but love was not all the same. There was familial love- which applied to some friends but not to others. Love of friends, respect of teachers, loyalty to teammates- all very different forms of the same thing and none of those the meaning that everyone talked about, worried over, obsessed on…

To learn that, would she need someone who had struggled with love? Or was that something she could trust to her own instincts when the time came?

A month ago, Mikoto had noticed Nao without an umbrella in the rain. There had been no question of whether to go to her or not. They did not perhaps speak often, but they had a bond and understanding. They were, had been, the children who weren't. Every time she looked into Nao's eyes, even from their first meeting, she found understanding- even if it had not always come with acceptance.

Nao was fun, sharp, and exciting. And sometimes, when you really needed, she was kind. She didn't pull her punches and she didn't give a damn about all the window dressing this world seemed to require. She was absolutely real.

That day, during the rain, had been important. Mikoto had felt things changing and it was as electric as the lightening in the sky. She hadn't known what change it was or what the future would bring. She had known it was for both of them and that made her happy. Nao was good company.

They had spent quite a bit of time together since then. They'd done some studying; they went places, and sometimes just stayed in, talking about all sorts of things. Of course, some very specific rules had cropped up, unspoken ones, during those talks. They didn't talk much about other people, and certain people, they didn't talk about at all. Mikoto suspected that Nao had some things, people, to forget. She wondered if any amount of talking about other things would really make that happen.

The answer turned out to be: sort of. They were making new memories, light hearted, to better balance the dark.


	2. Chapter 2

Mikoto, high school junior, was standing in the sunshine, smiling for all she was worth. She had enjoyed the past month very much. School was going good, she was having a blast being on the kendo team (and kicking a lot of ass- while not actually hurting anyone), and she was spending lots of time with the people she cared about. The only downside (well, okay, there were parts of school that were boring, but that was just something to be lived with) was a certain, small feeling of discomfort. It was odd, because in a way, even that discomfort was part of another good thing. And the thing that had her in such a good mood was that today, things were going to _move. _

Her friends would not expect her to recognize her feelings. Mikoto supposed that a few years back she had given them reason to doubt. Even now she knew that she really didn't have the words for it. Words weren't everything though, and she had felt a glimmer of recognition that day in the rain. Nao'd had a look in her eye that Mikoto half recognized. Mikoto recognized it with the part of her that others found animalistic- predatory. Nao, she thought, was a hunter too. That day there had been a sense of challenge. The hunt was on. The quarry was fierce. The rewards were undefined, but that had not been important– not then.

The door to Nao's dorm was pulled open. The redhead in question was in the doorway, looking up at Mikoto with an expression so sly it almost didn't qualify as friendly. Yes, it was time to consider the rewards…

"You're early." The real greeting had been Nao's expression, not her words.

"Mm," Mikoto agreed, knowing that today she would have to work on focusing. Sometimes it was so easy to slip into that quiet place where everything was simplest- was best, she secretly believed. And so she ran through mental exercises to focus as she followed Nao to the little kitchen. She continued as she leaned against the wall and watched the red head finish preparing their meal.

It was so different, Mikoto thought, than another redhead cooking other meals. She knew that Nao got no pleasure from the process of cooking, and it didn't come naturally as it did for Mai. And yet, there was love there. Nao, asking her mother to teach her to cook on weekends, had given the two something to do together, something normal. It was a bandage on the wound of too many missed years. Nao only cooked as something to do with her mother or when it was for _her_. And that made it different from Mai's food. Mai cooked for everyone. Something that was for her alone… Mikoto thought it was probably selfish, but this was something she wanted to keep for herself. She would probably fight for it.

Golden eyes had grown intense with Mikoto's thoughts and when Nao turned, she was visibly startled. The redhead faltered and came close to dropping the tray she'd prepared. Mikoto moved without thought, protecting what was hers. The tray was taken and carried solemnly to the little table. After a moment Nao released a sound that was mostly a laugh. "Ah, so that's what you were so concentrated on. You must be hungry."

Mikoto agreed. She was still hungry more often than she was not. Then again, she knew that the physical reason was simple and incomplete. She didn't have words yet though, so it would do for now. "Nao's food is best," she grinned encouragingly.

Nao rolled her eyes. "You suck at flattery, and lying in general. You live with Mai," the words were spoken slowly to emphasize the dig. "I've had her food. Your story was blown before you told it."

The insult only made Mikoto grin wider. Many people in this 'civilized', brutal world fought with words. Nao would never be a victim to them. "Mai's a better cook," she admitted bluntly, then watched in amusement as Nao's features flickered between victory and insult. "But still…" she considered, "even so, I like Nao's best." Mikoto caught the other with what she knew was a pinning gaze.

Nao lowered her eyes and took a calming breath, failing to keep a very light blush from her cheeks. "Ah, right..." Nao seemed to steady herself by jabbing at the food with her chopsticks. It was simple fare, stir fried vegetables over rice, but tasty enough. "So what's the plan today? Wander the town realizing how much it sucks to not have money?"

Mikoto thought about grabbing those expressive hands and forcing them still.

"I don't have any new movies but I guess we could watch something. Maybe the library has..." the redhead trailed off and glared at Mikoto, making swirling, almost-thoughts concentrate on green eyes. "Is this 'stare silently at Nao' thing supposed to be a joke? Is this clever and funny in your world?"

Impatience and irritation were common occurrences when it came to Nao, Mikoto knew. She wouldn't be amused if the other girl was actually upset. "Nope," her grin was feral as she gently made fun of Nao's irritation and also her own simple speech. She waited, watching a twitch at the corner of Nao's mouth that was ultimately stifled. The glare remained, making Mikoto's smile grow again. Another strike was in order, "I like looking at you."

Nao's face blanked and she let her hands fall, clapping noisily against the table. "Who the hell says that?" She raised her hands above her head, forestalling an answer, "You obviously, but why the hell do you say things like that? No," again she stopped Mikoto from speaking - which the other girl hadn't planned on doing anyway. "Obviously you do things like that because you're a crazy, socially inept, crazy, sadistic, crazy, weirdo!"

Oh, she loved seeing Nao worked up like this. And she knew that this would be most effective if she kept calm. Her voice was carefully even when she finally answered. "I'm not crazy, Nao." Despite her best efforts though, the next statement did hold emotion: a little seriousness, maybe a little sorrow, and just the slightest bit of bitterness, "and I'm not confused."

The irritation had faded and thoughtfulness had taken over Nao's expression, "Oh, really?" She stood from the table and walked over to sit on the couch. Then the redhead leaned back and gestured in both welcome and challenge, "We're going to do this, huh?" Mikoto moved to join her. "Fine, but there are rules."

"Tell me." Mikoto's voice and tone were soft, but it was still a demand.

Nao didn't hesitate, but she looked as if she wanted to. "I'm not her."

"I don't want her," -not like that, Mikoto reassured. Then, she moved to the other person that they didn't talk about, "I'm not her, either."

"I don't want her." Confusion, then a happy smile came to Nao's face at that statement as she realized it was true, "not anymore."

"Fine," Mikoto mimicked Nao's earlier word choice. "So, do I get to kiss you now?"

"You'd better."

Mikoto wondered how someone could be cocky and desperate at the same time, but she didn't worry about it for very long. Soon she was too busy to bother with either words or thoughts.

**Notes:**

This was brought to you by weeks of frustration, and Crossy's speedy and awesome editing service. I hope that this was enjoyable for everyone who wanted to see a sequel to that rainy day scene I wrote a while back. Cheers and best wishes!


End file.
